of chicago



L. C. STUKENBORG.

TUBING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1918.

1,343,236, Patented June 15, 1920.

jz/avzfor 1 7,7615% 170120 J/VMQY/I/fiZZ/ /y 55/71/254 M A a- 1 y rUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS CARROLL STUKENBORG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. TO FREDERICKW. STUKENBORG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TUBING.

Application filed April 20, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs CARROLL STUKENBORG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tubing;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to improvements in flexible tubing, and refersmore specifically to a novel tubing structure constructed and arrangedfor pneumatic or other uses, in such a way that the compound wall of thetubing prevents leakage of air therethrough, while at the same time thewall structure permits a wide range of flexibility of the tubing,enables the tubing to be made rela tively light and also preventsoxidation of the metal element of the tube.

One of the uses of my novel tubing is to provide a conduit between thepicker mechanism of a cotton picker and a suction device, such as a fan,to effect movement of the picked cotton backwardly from the pickermechanism to a receiving basket, such as is shown in my prior UnitedStates Letters Patent Number 1,264,575, issued on the 30th day of April,1918. m

Figure 1 is a length of tubing partially stripped to show the foundationand coving elements.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing a modified structure.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail illustrating the 7 metal foundation of thetubing.

The tubing comprises an inner layer or foundation member 10, anintermediate pliable layer 11, and an external air proof layer 12.

The foundation element of the tubing is a spirally wound Wire made ofmetal or other suitable rigid and durable material. It may be of anysuitable form desired. As herein shown, and preferably, it has thespecific form illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein the cross section of thespiral embraces two members 14 and 15 raised one out of the plane of theother and flanged so that the member 14 constitutes the bottom of agroove facing one direction, while the member 15 constitutes the bottomof a groove Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 15, 1920.

Serial No. 229,689.

facing in the other direction. The flanged and grooved portions of thewire are interlocked in the manner shown in Fig. 3, and, preferably, apacking strip 16 is inserted in the opposing grooves.

The layer 11 is made of a loosely woven fabric, such, for instance, as acotton fabric, to produce an envelop that fits snugly over thefoundation element 10 of the tub 1ng., This layer is not impregnatedwith air-proofing material, but should retain a loose, fairly opentexture, so as not to pre vent free fiexure of the tubing.

The outer layer 12 consists preferably of a braid known as adhesive tapewhich is wound spirally about the intermediate layer or envelop 11. Itis overlapped at its edges so that each layer of the tape adherespartially to the intermediate layer or envelop l1 and partially to aneighboring layer of tape.

As shown in Fig. 1, two separate layers of tape are wound on theintermediate layer 11, said separate layers being wound in the samedirection, and arranged so that the outer layer bridges over the jointsbetween the inner or first applied layer. In Fig. 2, but a single layerof taping is employed.

The tubing produced in accordance with the invention may be used underhigh vacuum or air pressure without leakage of air through the wallsthereof, and, at the same time, is very flexible so that a tool orimplement applied to the end of the tube may be freely directed withouthindrance, due to an inflexible tubing.

An advantage of the construction, in addition to its increasedflexibility and nonleaking qualities, is the economy of the tubing, bothwith respect to the material used and to the mode of manufacturing orassembling the tubing, no vulcanizing operation being required. Theadhesive tape used may be of any well known commercial character oftaping, and is preferably of that type in which the adhesive material isnot required to be moistened when applying the tape.

By reason of the loose texture of the intermediate envelop or layer 11,the inner or foundation layer of wire is free to move relatively to saidintermediate envelop or layer; and the pasting of the adhesive tapingover the intermediate layer does not have the effect to stiffen. thetubing in the ion SEE 1,343,236

same manner as though the adhesive taping or layer were applied directlyto the inner or foundation layer, or in the same manner as thougharelatively stiff or'inflexible envelop were applied immediately upon thefoundation or spiral wire layer. In other words, the intermediate layerbecomes, in a sense, 'a fioatinglayer with respect to the foundation orwire layer. Therefore, a tube of considerable diameter and largecarrying capacity-may be produced with ample flexibility. The outerlayer, by reason of its relative elasticity does not greatly stiffen thetube. By reason of the adhesion of the outer layer it clings to theintermediate layer or envelop so as to always maintain a non-leakablelayer. VVhen the outer layer is made of relative taping, as hereinshown, said layer may be readily and economically replaced if it shouldbecome injured. The construction also permits the tubing to be made witha wire of small gage as compared to ordinary flexible tubing, therebyreducing the cost ofthe tubing and likewise reducing its weight.Moreover, the construction protects the metal element 10 of the tubingfrom oxidation and thereby materially increases the life thereof.

. The structure of the tubing may be somewhat varied within the spiritand scope of the claims hereto appended. For instance, the outer layeror sheath, consisting as herein shown of spirally wound adhesive tape,may take other forms which produce the desired non-leakingcharacteristics, while avoiding unduly stiffening the structure.Moreover, the tubing may be used for other purposes, as, for instance,conduit for electrical conductors, and in the latter use the foundationlayer may, if desired, be made of a non-conducting, flexible material.

I claim as my invention 1. A tubing for the purpose set forth,comprising .an inner flexible foundation layer, an intermediate layersurrounding but not adhered to the foundation layer, and an externalimpervious layer applied over and adhered to the intermediate layer.

2.-A tubing for the purpose set'forth,

comprising an inner flexible foundation layer unattached to thefoundation layer, a relatively loose woven intermediate layer, and anexternal air proof layer applied over and adhered to the intermediatelayer.

8. A tubing for the purpose set forth, comprising an inner flexiblefoundation layer, a relatively loose woven intermediate layer appliedover and not adhered to the foundation layer, and an external air prooflayer of marginally overlapping adhesive taping spirally applied to theintermediate layer.

A tubing for the purpose set forth, comprising an inner spirally woundfoundation layer, a loosely woven intermediate layer surrounding andunattached to the foundation layer, and an external layer ap plied overand adhered to the intermediate layer.

5. A tubing for the purpose set forth, comprising an inner flexiblefoundation layer, a loosely woven intermediate layer surrounding andunattached to the founda. tion layer, and an external layer of adhesivetaping spirally applied to the intermediate layer.

6. A tubing for the purpose set forth, comprising an inner spiralfoundation layer, a relatively loose woven intermediate layer and anouter layer of adhesive taping spirally applied to the intermediatelayer, with adjacent spirals overlapping.

7. A tubing for the purpose set forth, comprising an inner flexiblefoundation layer, a relatively loose woven intermediate layer, and anouter layer comprising adhesive taping spirally applied to theintermediate layer, with adjacent spirals overlapping, and a secondouter taping layer applied over the first taping layer with the tapingof the outer layer spanning oints of the taping of the inner layer.

In testimony whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention, I hereuntoappend my signature at Chicago, Illinois, this fifteenth day of April,1918.

LOUIS CARROLL STUKENBORG.

